Termination Follows Controversial Social Media Posts and Comes Amidst Trump’s Terrorist Designation of Group
A North Carolina Detention Officer who identified himself as “Antifa” on social media and made posts about “war crimes trials” and bringing back “the guillotine” has been fired, according to a report from the News & Observer. The termination of Brian Edwards, 37, a detention officer with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, brings the national debate over political extremism and law enforcement directly to the forefront.
Edwards was fired on Monday after his social media posts on BlueSky, a social media app, drew attention. In a series of inflammatory posts, Edwards declared his affiliation and expressed extreme views on political opponents.
“I maintain that the biggest mistake the US government has ever made was letting the traitors from the civil war back into our country without punishment,” Edwards posted, according to the X account “Mostly Peaceful.” He continued, “When this is over and the right wing is once again [defeated, we] will not make that same mistake.”
In another post, Edwards wrote, “There will be war crimes trials and I can’t wait to see every one of them thrown into prison for the rest of their lives. It may even be time to bring back the guillotine.” He also posted photos of a guitar with the phrase “This Machine Kills Fascists” on his account.
Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood confirmed Edwards’ termination, telling the News & Observer that the officer’s actions violated the office’s standards of conduct and social network policies. “We must maintain the public trust as we go about our mission to protect, serve, and treat everyone with dignity and respect,” Sheriff Blackwood said.
The incident comes just as President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order on Monday, designating Antifa as a “major terrorist organization.”
“I am pleased to inform our many U.S.A. Patriots that I am designating ANTIFA, A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER, AS A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. I will also be strongly recommending that those funding ANTIFA be thoroughly investigated in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices,” Trump wrote last week, prior to the signing. RELATED: Trump Signs Executive Order Designating Antifa A ‘Domestic Terrorist Organization’
The designation by the President and the actions of the now-fired officer highlight the growing polarization in the U.S. Antifa, a loosely organized, far-left movement, has been involved in several high-profile violent incidents, including riots in the wake of the May 2020 death of George Floyd, clashes in Portland, Oregon in January 2021, and the June 2019 attack on journalist Andy Ngo.
CORRECTION: The Original Article Stated That Brian Edwards Was A Police Officer, When In Fact He Was A Detention Officer For The Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
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